How to make your hookah taste fresh?

From time to time we overhear talks at hookah hangouts that sound like:”Wow, this hookah tastes bad.” Those comments make us sad because the ideal hookah should be tasty and offer a moment of relaxation, not burn your throat. But hey, there’s no science in preparing your hookah the right way – just follow these simple tips to make your hookah taste fresh. Here they are!

Use ice and cold water

The fundamental principle during hookah preparation is to use cold water. It’s inevitable that the water gets warmer in the bottle while smoking, so you wouldn’t want to use warm water – it only gets even warmer.

To make your hookah taste fresh, add a few pieces of ice in your bottle – the ice melts slowly and keeps the water temperature under control.

However, note that although ice makes your hookah taste fresh, but decreases the taste of the tobacco.

Use wet and fresh quality tobacco

Photo: @fiiiruu

Moving on – the next tip to make your hookah taste fresh, is to make sure the tobacco is kept in a dry place and away from direct sunlight.

If you know there’s a long period ahead where you don’t plan to smoke, put the tobacco in a resealable bag to keep the air away.

Bare in mind that the essential tip of a tasty hookah is the tobacco – so, always go with the quality ones.

Also, if you happen to find an old pack of tobacco, try to make sure it was opened within the last two months. If not, we suggest buying a new one and not attempt any human experiments with the old one. 🙂

When in doubt, follow this quick fix – mix the old tobacco with a fresh one to achieve new flavours and experience.

Don’t forget to blow some air out

Photo: @reggich

Another simple trick to make your hookah taste fresh is to gently blow some air out from time to time.

Blowing out, in the terms of smoking hookah, means that you simply blow into the hose so the air moves to the bottle. From there, the air travels through the valve and thus ventilates your Hekkpipe.

So, in a nutshell, blowing out helps the “new” smoke replace the “old” one. Just be sure not to blow too hard – otherwise the water will move into the bowl and ruin everything – your session, your mood and, if you’re unlucky, even your hookah.

Use the appropriate amount of tobacco

Sure, sometimes you have to push the limits and give everything you’ve got, but not with tobacco! Instead, “less is more” should be the principle of prepping your hookah bowl – make sure you don’t exaggerate with the tobacco.

We suggest to use vortex or phunnel bowl, to avoid tobacco juice getting into the bottle or vase. It helps to last hookah taste fresh for a longer period of time. We suggest you not to pack the bowl above the holes on the center vortex of the Hekkpipe Hookah Bowl to leave a space between the foil and the tobacco. This also keeps the holes clean of burnt tobacco. Here are some really cool tobacco recommendations for fresh taste.

Read our blog post on how to hookah tobacco to the bowl.

Heat management system

Kaloud Lotus

Heat management helps the tobacco to bake evenly, not burn uncontrollably.  So it is always important to find the right balance between the number of layers of tinfoil and the amount of charcoal. For example, Hekkpipe Active owners need to add 9 layers of tinfoil (you can buy from the nearest grocery) and one piece of small-sized natural coal or quick light coals.

Traditional hookahs require less layers – one to four. You can buy a separate heat management system for traditional hookahs which helps, but is not a magic wand. Heat management systems improve the session quality, but cannot save it ifn the balance between the tinfoil and charcoal is inappropriate. Also keep in mind that if you are using the heat management system, the balance between tinfoil and amount of coal changes – the heat management system also keeps heat in the chamber just like Hekkpipe does.

To get the best out of your tobacco, move the coal every 5-7 minutes so that the tobacco won’t burn. Also, to regulate the heat more effectively, break the coal into pieces. You will get the best smoke when using ¾ of a full round of coal at once. Read our blog post on how to break up coal the right way.

Note that different tobaccos, steam stones and gels have different baking temperature, so heat management is definitely a thing to keep in mind. So there are many options. When using a new hookah, tobacco or charcoal we recommend running some tests to find the perfect balance with your hookah.

If possible, prefer natural coal for a fresh-tasting hookah

Prefer natural coal for a fresh-tasting hookah

Another tip for fresh-tasting hookah is to choose natural coal instead of instant coals. Did you know that hookah sessions with a natural coal rarely end with a headache?

In a nutshell, hookah coals can be divided into two categories – instant and natural coals. Broadly speaking – choose the natural coal if you have time and you want to experience a fresh, all organic hookah. On the contrary, choose the instant coal if you want to be portable and if time is money.

Read our blog post on how to choose the right hookah coal.

Use a vortex bowl

Photo: Jaanus Jagomägi

We also suggest you to invest in a vortex bowl like Hekkpipe Hookah Bowl. Contrary to the so-called usual bowl it has a special cone inside it that keeps the tobacco fluids inside the bowl and thus makes your hookah taste fresh.

The vortex bowl also features holes that are not in the bottom, as you might be used to, but inside the cone for the very same reason – to make your hookah the soul of every hangout.

You also might want to consider spending an additional 10 euros to buy an extra bowl. Read our blog post on that here.

Use an ice hose tip or a freezable hose

If the abovementioned solutions won’t satisfy you, you might want to try an ice hose tip or a freezable hose instead. The freezable hose is a hose just like any other – it’s washable and does roughly the same as your regular one. However, you can attach freezable extenders to it that provide a cool, smooth flowing smoke for the best hookah experience.

The ice hose tip usually stays cool for an hour or even to and makes the smoke cooler. Usually, they are universal, too, so you can use them with whatever hookah imaginable.

There are plenty of ice hose tips and freezable hoses on the market – feel free to find your favorite!

Take care of your hookah – the essential tip to make your hookah taste fresh

Last but not least – don’t forget to take care of your hookah. Your hookah has feelings, too, you know. Be sure to clean it after every hookah session and even between sessions. Always, and we mean al-ways, wash the bowl, the stem and the bottle.

If you don’t clean your hookah, burnt tobacco and smoke will remain on different details. This, unfortunately, makes the hookah taste bad, not fresh.

Don’t forget the hose, too – rinse warm water through the hose and leave it to hang somewhere. If you pack your hose after washing it, the water won’t run out and thus leaves an unpleasant smell.

So, just remember to clean it and your hookah will serve you for a long time, for sure!

Bonus tip to make your hookah taste fresh – change the water

If you’ve read the post until here, we have a bonus tip for you. We recommend changing the water in your hookah bottle or base after each session. If you can and have the time, change it with each bowl – this is worth the effort.

Follow these simple tips to make your hookah smoke taste fresh. Do you know any other tips to make your hookah smoke fresh? Let us know or post it to Instagram using hashtag #hekkpipe.